School Library Journal: “Women of the West,” a guest post by Lesa Cline-Ransome
There was the story before we left/and the story after/but the story in between/is the part that’s the hardest
Excerpted from One Big Open Sky
Publishers Weekly, In Conversation: Lesa Cline-Ransome and James Ransome
Lesa Cline-Ransome is the author of numerous nonfiction and historical fiction titles for young readers. Her verse biography of Harriet Tubman, Before She Was Harriet, illustrated by her husband and frequent collaborator James E. Ransome, was nominated for an NAACP Image Award and received a Coretta Scott King Honor for Illustration, among other accolades. Her debut middle grade novel, Finding Langston, won the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction and earned the Coretta Scott King Award Author Honor. In addition to illustrating several other award-winning books, James is also a recipient of the ALA Children’s Literature Legacy Award. We asked the couple to interview each other about their new picture book, Fighting with Love: The Legacy of John Lewis, their creative approaches, and their evolving connections to history.
Think: In a YA novel, a Black girl navigates Jim Crow
YA novels often focus on school and dating – but they are increasingly trusting readers to engage with heavier topics. That’s the case with “For Lamb,” which follows a lynching and encourages young adult readers to dive deep into the darker side of American history. Lesa Cline-Ransome is the book’s author, and she joins guest host Courtney Collins to talk about the story, which follows a girl named Lamb navigating the friendships and dangers of the Jim Crow South for a young Black girl.
KidLit TV, "Past Present with Lesa Cline-Ransome, “Of Walden Pond”
'Being Clem' Is The Final Book In Lesa Cline-Ransome's 'Finding Langston' Trilogy
STORYMAKERS with
Lesa Cline-Ransome and
James Ransome
Award-winning author, Lesa Cline-Ransome and illustrator, James Ransome, offer us a window into a child’s experience of the Great Migration in OVERGROUND RAILROAD and LEAVING LYMON, two books which have a more than just a few things in common — just like Lesa and James!
PAST PRESENT:
with Lesa Cline-Ransome
GAME CHANGERS
Past Present hosted by author Lesa Cline-Ransome is where to discover new ways to appreciate children’s literature by exploring the many diverse stories from the past. Every once in awhile, Lesa celebrates modern-day heroes. In this episode, Lesa tells us the story of history-makers Venus and Serena Williams and about the making of her book GAME CHANGERS which explores whether the sisters were tennis champions born or made.
PAST PRESENT:
with Lesa Cline-Ransome
FINDING LANGSTON
Ever wonder how authors are able to write about the past as if they’ve actually been there and seen things for themselves? On this episode of PAST PRESENT with Lesa Cline-Ransome, Lesa reveals her research techniques for creating FINDING LANGSTON, a historical novel set during The Great Migration which hums with life and authenticity.
PAST PRESENT:
with Lesa Cline-Ransome
Giving Past Stories New Life
KidLit TV has a brand new show called Past Present: Giving Past Stories New Life hosted by author Lesa Cline-Ransome! In this series, Lesa will explore non-fiction story writing, share how we can learn about ourselves and find common bonds with people from the past.
Accolades
MacDowell Fellow, 2023
NAACP Image Award Nominee for Outstanding Literary Work - Children
Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction
Coretta Scott King Author Honor
2022 New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association (NAIBA) Legacy Award
Jane Addams Honor Award
The Christopher Award
New York Public Library Best Book
Kirkus Reviews Best Middle Grade Novel
School Library Journal Best Book
ALA Notable
Top 10 Sports Book for Youth
Orbis Pictus Recommended Book
A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book
A Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature (CSMCL) Best Book
Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year
EUREKA! Nonfiction Honor Award
Eureka Award Winner for Excellence in Nonfiction